


zuko vs. the homie sexual agenda

by aiyah



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Clown-to-Clown Communication, Fluff, Humor, IKEA, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Roommates, Sokka is also an Awkward Turtleduck, TikTok, Toph is Losing It, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:41:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26066677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aiyah/pseuds/aiyah
Summary: Zuko and Sokka go on a life-changing journey through the mystical realm of Ikea.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 70
Kudos: 1036





	zuko vs. the homie sexual agenda

**Author's Note:**

  * For [6y9brows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/6y9brows/gifts).



> for foxxy & allaine.
> 
> many, many, _many_ thanks to allaine for allowing me to ~~unabashedly~~ write fic inspired by her stellar AUs. (the art!!! i still can't believe it!!!) i literally couldn't do this without y'all :')
> 
> inspired by [this post about the life-changing properties of ikea](https://donvex.tumblr.com/post/624840014373797888/itszukkatime-donvex-donvex-zuko-and-sokka) and allaine's [beautiful, absolutely wonderful art](https://6y9brows.tumblr.com/post/622807246350548992/au-where-sokka-has-a-tiktok-and-his-cute-rich). thank you for letting my muse run wild.
> 
> disclaimer: i haven't been inside an ikea for a good year. hopefully it hasn't changed _that_ much
> 
> (this is also for the first [@zukkanet](https://zukkanet.tumblr.com) event 01: song lyrics. shamelessly inspired by [i will spend my whole life loving you by kina grannis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dVhZuyltII). go give it a whirl c:

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△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△a

Sofa  
 **ΚΛΕΙΏ  
** white

➤ The muse of history and lyre playing

➤ Most commonly associated with scrolls, wreaths, and books

➤ The top layer of fiber balls and the soft, embracing feeling makes the sofa inviting and comfortable to relax in for as long as you like.

➤ Also comes in: beige, yellow-beige, dark gray

➤ _an_ _d now_

**$799**

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Zuko doesn’t know what Ikea is.

Well, a _slight_ correction here. (He’s not completely clueless, after all.) Zuko’s sat through a good amount of the TV advertisements, listened to his neighbors’ grumbling and groaning through the walls, and even watched video compilations showcasing how people use Ikea shopping bags to smuggle their dogs on the subway. He knows knows that the company is famous for their furniture and their gigantic stores, but that’s about it. As far as Zuko’s concerned, Ikea is apparently a magical alternate universe, much like Middle Earth or Narnia—except for the lack of hobbits or talking lions, of course.

And it’s true. Zuko's never experienced the true rush of grabbing the last easy-to-assemble Billy bookcase from the self-service section or even breathed in the fragrant aroma of Ikea's trademark meatballs. His only memories of Ikea are vague flashes of passing by the blue-and-yellow behemoth on his way to his apartment, but he's never actually felt the sensation of walking through those wondrous double doors and into the unknown. Oddly enough, Zuko feels a pull deep inside of him, an innate urge just to pick up a hammer, some nails, and the will to build something with his own two hands.

Or that honestly could just be his roommate talking.

You see, Sokka, Zuko’s roommate, has a tendency to sing praises about Ikea and its products; everybody knows that once you get the resident tech major to wax poetic about his passions, well, it can be… _a lot_. Sokka talks about Ikea like it’s Shangri-La, a mystical paradise filled with meandering trails to explore and forests of furniture as far as the naked eye can see. If there’s one thing Zuko’s taken away from his roommate’s spiels about the place, it’s that everyone and their mother has some bewildering fascination with going into that specific store and losing themselves in a fervor of furniture.

(Zuko wouldn’t know; he’s never been.)

Opportunity knocks on the door one Saturday morning as he sits in his room, trying to plan out a schedule for the weekend. Zuko figures he’s going to study for his classes and to brainstorm his upcoming assignment for his ~~interventionist writing~~ ??? class. The ??? is wholly necessary. Professor Bumi’s notoriously known for being one of the most eclectic professors on campus, and his assignment for his interventionist writers this week—“I want all of you to interact with a commercial brand using words in some way”—had left the entire class scratching their heads in collective disbelief. _Interacting with a commercial brand? What in Agni’s good name does that even mean? Do I write a letter to Microsoft?_ And it’s not like Zuko’s not creative; he’s an _English major with a_ _creative writing concentration_ , for spirits’ sake. It’s just that he has absolutely no idea what to do and nowhere to start—

Until Sokka crashes his way through Zuko’s bedroom door with a huge smile on his face.

“We’re going to Ikea!” he exclaims, startling Zuko off his train of thought (destination: nowhere). “And by we, I mean us. And the gang. Aang needs some new stuff. There was this whole thing about him and Kat accidentally leaving Appa and Momo at home when they went out, and then Appa knocking over and breaking a bunch of stuff while he was chasing Momo or something and I don’t remember the details, but point is, stuff got broken. So now we’re going! To Ikea!”

“But I can’t go, Sokka.” Zuko points to the empty Google Doc flashing ominously on his laptop. “I need to do work.”

“I don’t see any work on that screen, dude.”

“No, seriously.” Zuko huffs in frustration. “I’m supposed to find a way to interact with a brand using words, and I honestly have no idea how I’m going to do that.”

“I don’t know about you, but I think Ikea’s the perfect place to find inspiration,” Sokka replies, sea-blue eyes gleaming with excitement. “C’mon. It’ll be great!”

“Are you sure?”

“Dude, Going to Ikea’s pretty much, like, a rite of passage. You _need_ to go.” Sokka shoves his hands in his pockets. “Plus, I need you to help me film something.”

“Film what?” The look Zuko shoots at him is equal parts hesitation and confusion. _He can’t possibly mean that, right?_ “Do you mean your tic-tac-toe thing?”

“Dude, _TikTok_. It’s Tiktok.”

Zuko scratches the mental image of the pencil-and-paper game out of his head. “Okay. A _TikTok_ about what?”

“About your first time going to Ikea, duh.”

So here’s the thing. As far as Zuko knows, Sokka’s pretty much like a social media celebrity or something, with tens of thousands of followers on his ~~tic-tac-toe~~ TikTok account. (Even Zuko, with his fifty Facebook friends, knows that having thousands of followers is definitely nothing to scoff at.) @BoomerangBoi had started out as a joke during their freshman year when Zuko and Sokka had first roomed together, after Sokka first realized that his roommate had never tried Spam before. (“I was under the assumption that Spam simply referred to mass junk emails.” “ _Spirits above, are you serious?_ ”) Sokka’s first post—“ _my roomie tries spam fried rice 4 the first time :)))_ ”—went viral on the platform with millions of views, and Zuko’s life hasn’t quite been the same ever since. Gradually, Zuko’s featured more and more on Sokka’s posts as the “cute rich friend”, much to Zuko’s confusion and Toph’s eternal delight. Between hits like “ _my rich bff tries cup ramen 4 the first time_ ” and their own version of the “ _#hugurbffchallenge_ ” that ended up maxing out the sixty-second limit of TikTok for a record-setting thirty minutes (just so you know), Zuko’s pretty much become a familiar face on @BoomerangBoi’s TikTok.

(And _no_. Personally, Zuko hasn’t quite recovered from that experience yet. All he remembers is smooth, strong arms wrapped around him and Sokka giggling in his ear. Nothing more.)

Zuko knows that he should say no, that he should stay at home, that he should focus on coming up with his assignment for Professor Bumi’s class first, but one look at Sokka’s pleading face, and it’s all over.

“Sure.” Zuko relents.

“What?”

“I said sure, I’ll go with you, but only if you’ll help me figure out how I can finagle Ikea into my assignment first,” Zuko sighs. He’s never really been great at saying no to people, much less to his best friend and roommate. Sokka’s just got those soft eyes that somehow pierce straight into your soul with the smile to match. (And his laughter? Truly infectious.)

“I gotchu,” Sokka says as he pulls Zuko out of the chair. “Dude, this is gonna be the _best Ikea trip ever_. It’ll be life-changing, I tell you. You’ll never look back.”

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Wifi bookshelf speaker  
 **ΕΥΤΈΡΠΗ  
** black

➤ The muse of music, song, and lyric poetry

➤ Most commonly associated with panpipes, flutes, laurel

➤ This speaker has a rich and vibrant sound that fills the entire room and allows you to create the right atmosphere at home

➤ _as i stand beside you_

**$99**

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“Welcome to Nirvana!”

“Sokka, calm down.”

“It’s just Ikea.”

“You’re a twenty-one year-old _twirling around in front of an Ikea_.” This one comes courtesy of Katara.

“Yes, but it’s Zuko’s _first time at Ikea!_ ” Sokka whirls around in another circle in front of the automatic doors. “He’ll finally get to experience the wonders of this paradise!”

“If by paradise you mean capitalist company promoting deforestation and questionable actions,” Katara mutters under her breath.

“I see that someone’s been watching a little too much Netflix for her own good.”

“It’s not like I dislike Ikea or anything,” Katara glares at her brother. “It’s more like understanding and acknowledging where things are sourced, okay? And _Broken_ is a great docuseries. I highly recommend it.”

Sokka opts to ignore his sister, focusing his attention on Zuko instead. “You ready to go in?”

Honestly? Zuko’s a bit over his head right now. The blue-and-yellow building in front of him seems like a veritable leviathan up close, looming over everything and swallowing the shoppers as they enter through its double doors. Zuko feels like Ishmael, staring down at the monstrous Moby Dick and quaking in his Converse.

 _This is… a lot_ , Zuko thinks to himself. Part of him wants to go straight back home, but the other half is desperately curious about the wonders hidden inside Ikea. _Might as well make a leap for it, right?_

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” and Zuko finds himself being pulled forward by Sokka, the automatic doors chiming in greeting as they slide open.

It’s absolutely overwhelming. The walls are tall and white, bright lights glaring towards the ground. The noise is deafening, especially with all the squabbling families and chattering people bustling to and fro. And the place is absolutely jam-packed with too many sights, sounds, and smells.

In other words, it’s an introvert’s worst nightmare.

And Zuko’s inner self can attest to that feeling. His mind is so overloaded by everything happening around him, he barely feels Sokka tugging him towards a set of escalators in the corner.

“Just you wait. You haven’t seen the best of this yet. I can’t wait to see your reaction to the showroom,” Sokka whispers as they ascend. Are they going to heaven? Or hell? Zuko’s not sure anymore.

And when they finally step off the escalator, he can’t help but gape at the sea of sofas rollicking in front of him. There must be hundreds of them, in all shapes and sizes, all floating in the showroom.

“I’ve never seen so many sofas in my entire life,” Zuko croaks.

Sokka pats him on the arm. “I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I’m here for you, buddy.”

“I appreciate your concern.” Zuko tries to ignore the warmth spreading across his arm from his best friend’s touch.

“So. Uh, I guess you’re ready for the big tour?” Sokka motions towards the rest of the showroom. “Just gotta wait for Suki and Toph—”

“We’re here, hotshot.” Toph appears at Zuko’s shoulder, arms folded.

“Katara and Aang said to meet in the restaurant later. I think they went to go look for bookshelves,” Suki offers. “Now remind me again why we’re doing this… tour?”

“It’s ‘cuz Zuko needs an excuse to do his assignment, okay?” Sokka looks towards Zuko. “You good?”

Zuko fumbles around his backpack, pulling out a stack of neatly cut cardstock and shoving them into his jacket pocket. Sokka’s idea of sliding in fake price tags over the real ones on Ikea products had been genius, and the two of them had spent a good half an hour of the morning in Zuko’s room coming up and printing out the tags that they’re going to use. To his credit, Sokka’s even ironed out a solid plan to distract everyone while Zuko carries out his assignment.

Sokka leads them towards a large couch with all the grace and wisdom of a tour guide showing off the finest parts of a city. “I wanted to thank you all again for your patronage. The International Knowledge and Engagement Association is proud to present our latest exhibit on modern-day living rooms. Here, we have the Färlöv, a lovely specimen of a sofa that includes three seats modeled in a classic configuration. As you can see, the _Färlöv_ comes in four different colors depending on your taste—”

Suki nods her head at Sokka’s spiel, while Toph runs a hand over the velvet sofa covering in mock curiosity. No one else in Ikea seems to be paying attention to the college student raving about a gigantic sofa.

 _So far, so good_.

Zuko slips towards the edge of the sofa, fingers scrambling until he feels rough plastic against his fingertips. He bends over the price tag and slides in his homemade tag on top, making sure the plastic covering stays in place. “ _ΚΛΕΙΏ_ ” waves back in dark letters. _Kleio_. Zuko’s always been partial towards the nine muses. (Or that might just be his classics minor peeking through.) Zuko stands up and brushes off his shirt, pulling out his phone to take a quick picture of the newly-branded tag and giving a sharp nod of affirmation in Sokka’s direction.

“—and all of this could be yours for the low, low price of $899. It’s quite a bargain, in my humble opinion.” Sokka finishes before winking in Zuko’s direction.

Zuko’s heart flutters in response. He swallows down the butterflies.

“Now then, let’s move on to the next portion of our tour…”

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Potted plant  
 **ΘΆΛΕΙΑ**

➤ The muse of comedy

➤ Most commonly associated with comic mask, shepherd’s crook, ivy

➤ The plant can cause allergies or skin irritation if you are allergic or sensitive in other ways.

➤ _i say baby_

**$9.99**

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By the time they reach the kitchens, Zuko’s in love—

—with the entire idea behind Ikea.

(Now get your head out of the gutter. What do you think he was going to say? Eesh.)

Zuko’s never had the chance to go furniture shopping; everything in the Huo household is “tastefully” curated by his father and specially imported from overseas. (And by “tastefully”, Zuko means rigid, difficult-to-sit-in chairs with the expensive price tags to match, not to mention the pillows that look soft at first glance but end up being scratchier than the _tatami_ in his Uncle Iroh’s home.) Sadly, the closest Zuko’s gotten to “home improvement” is probably binge-watching Property Brothers on Hulu and fantasizing about what it would be like to have Jonathan Scott renovate his apartment. It’s a thought he keeps hidden inside himself and something he’s never, ever going to mention to anyone.

(That includes you. _Shh_.)

Needless to say, Ikea is everything Zuko’s ever wanted. It’s pretty much his home improvement dreams come to life, and he wastes no time ogling every single piece of furniture and listening attentively as Sokka rambles on and on about the benefits of having an extendable dining table. (“ _Think of all the people you can host!_ ”)

Zuko’s other favorite part about Ikea is the mockups of tiny apartments that are _built right into the store_. Imagine that—walking through an area in a store specifically designed to show you the versatility of their products? And being able to read about the layout of the living space? _What a stroke of marketing genius_ , his inner business mindset pipes up as Zuko picks up a fake apple and studies it intently. And it is—he resists the urge to buy every single knickknack, every tchotchke he sees perched atop the shelves and wobbling on the tables. The apartment is messy enough, with Zuko’s textbooks and papers covering every inch of available space and Sokka’s contraptions decorating the walls and the ceiling. (Zuko makes a note in his mind to do some tidying up when they get home.)

And as it turns out, he’s not the only one with an obsession over the apartment layouts. Zuko watches as Sokka slaps the side of the 250 square foot apartment with his palm, the fake plants rattling on the bedside table.

“This bad boy can fit so much post-graduate anxiety in it,” Sokka announces proudly. Zuko _thinks_ it has something to do with one of those meme-things that Sokka likes to tag him on Facebook, but he isn’t completely sure about that.

Suki rolls her eyes. “Sokka.”

“What? I’m just stating the facts, yeah?”

“Sure, sure. But you already live in, like, a huge apartment with Zuko, right?” Toph pipes up from her seat on the edge of the bed. “Why do you even care about tiny apartments, anyways?”

“It’s not about the apartments themselves. It’s about the idea behind them, yanno? Like how architects and home designers renovate things for people.” Sokka counters.

“I get that, but it’s not like you’re going to live in a tiny apartment anyways,” Toph continues. “Why bother gushing over them?”

“I think it’s because of the novelty,” Zuko says, even though he literally has no business talking about living in a tiny apartment. (Every single Huo-approved dwelling has to reach a certain minimum size, unfortunately.) “At least for me, that is. I enjoy imagining what it would be like to live in these places.”

He squints at the placard on the wall describing the apartment tenants. “Like twenty-four year-old Connie from Pittsburgh, for instance. I wonder what kind of life she lives, how she uses the space, what she hopes to achieve later on.”

“Exactly!” Sokka chimes in. “Like, I can pretend I’m Connie for a hot sec and think about what my life is like in this space.”

Toph looks at both of them like they’re complete nuts. “ _Oh_ -kay. Y’all sound like you’ve thought about this a lot.”

“Have we?” Zuko wonders aloud, the _we_ lingering in the air like a cloud above their heads.

“Can’t say I haven’t,” Sokka shrugs before offering a hand towards Toph and pulling the girl to her feet. “C’mon. There’s still so much to see.”

The four of them walk towards the bedroom section, marveling at the sheer number of beautifully-decorated beds all laid out at their fingertips.

And this is where things get a little, well, embarrassing. For Zuko, at least. He finds himself being tugged towards the nearest bed by Sokka. His best friend opts to flop both of them onto the mattress in a flurry of sheets and pillows.

“ _Sokka!_ ” and _oh spirits_ , Zuko’s face is tingling again in all the wrong places. “What are you—”

His question disappears down his throat when Sokka flips him onto his side, the bed cradling his body in plush comfort. Zuko can feel Sokka wrapping him into an awkward hug, the smell of sea-salt and balsam rolling over Zuko’s body like a riptide.

“Shh. Be quiet,” Sokka mutters. The drawstrings of his hoodie dangle tantalizingly close to Zuko’s face, and he resists the urge to reach out and tug on them.

“Sokka—” Zuko whines in protest.

Sokka squeezes him harder in response. “I’m trying to cuddle, okay? Gotta see how good this bed holds up to maximum squish and comfort.”

The smell of sea-salt grows stronger in Zuko’s nose. His face continues to burn, and he’s sure his cheeks are an absolutely delightful shade of tomato-red at this point. The only thing keeping Zuko from completely melting in embarrassment is the coolness of Sokka’s arms folded around him, steadying him.

(And before you ask, _no_. Zuko _swears_ that he’s not enjoying this, not enjoying this at all. I mean, snuggling with your best friend? What’s there to enjoy about that… right?)

“Hey,” Sokka breathes, his voice rumbling into Zuko’s ears and sending shivers down his spine. “I hope you’re okay with me, like, totally dragging you on the bed. But, like, I didn’t sleep a lot yesterday ‘cuz I was too hyped about Ikea, so I wanted to rest a bit.”

“It’s nothing,” Zuko whispers back. “But are we allowed to sleep here?”

“Not sure, but I’m really sleepy,” Sokka replies softly. He threads his fingers in between Zuko’s hair. “The bed is super comfy. And your hair is super soft.”

Somewhere above them, there’s the sound of someone clearing their throat. Zuko tilts his head upwards and stares straight into Suki’s face.

“Um,” Suki begins, and Zuko gulps down his embarrassment before scrambling to his knees. Sokka sits up on the bed, his mouth cracked in a lopsided grin, his wolftail awry.

 _By Agni, he’s hot_.

(Zuko immediately scrubs the thought from his mind.)

“Um,” Suki repeats, “I was just gonna tell you guys that I’m gonna go look for a swivel chair? In the workplaces showroom? I’m taking Toph with me.”

“Nuh uh,” Toph says. “The beds are _so nice_. I’m gonna stay here.”

“But we can go through a _secret tunnel_ to the swivel chairs,” Suki wonders aloud.

Toph perks up almost immediately. “Secret tunnel?”

“Yes, a secret tunnel. In fact, I’ll take you there right now.” Suki grabs Toph’s hand. “Toph and I will meet you guys at the restaurant, okay?”

“Sounds good,” Zuko barely manages to get out before Sokka pulls him closer.

“Wanna try out another bed with me?” Sokka asks, and it takes Zuko every last ounce of his strength not to slide to the ground.

“For… maximum squish purposes, right?” he jokes, missing the shadow that flits over Sokka’s eyes for a split second.

“Yeah, dude. Maximum squish all the way.”

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2-piece knife set  
 **ΜΕΛΠΟΜΈΝΗ  
** gray

➤ The muse of tragedy

➤ Most commonly associated with tragic mask, blades, boots

➤ Materials in the handle provide a firm grip. Wash this product before using it for the first time.

➤ _isn't it crazy_

**$2.49**

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“Chubby bunny.”

Aang pops a vegan meatball in his mouth. “Chubby bunny.”

Toph’s next. “Chuffy bufny.”

Sokka goes again, shoving another Ikea meatball into the side of his cheek. “Chubby bunny.”

Aang’s quick on his (wolf)tail, jamming another meatball into his mouth defiantly. “ _Chufby bufny_.”

“What are they doing?” Zuko asks Katara. The two of them are sitting across from each other at the edge of the table, a half-eaten plate of meatballs in between them, watching the spectacle unfold between Aang, Sokka, and Toph. Against all odds (and distractions), Sokka and Zuko had made it to the restaurant, where Sokka had proceeded to order way too much food for the table.

“Chubby bunny,” Katara replies, cupping her hands around a mug of coffee. “Basically one of the silliest games you can play.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind.” Katara shakes her head before pushing the plate of meatballs towards Zuko. “Here. You should finish these up.”

“Are you sure?” Zuko turns to Suki. She’s sitting next to him, eyes narrowed as she scrolls through her phone, lost in thought. “Do you want one, Suki?”

Suki shakes her head. “I’m good.”

“Well then,” Zuko says, stabbing a meatball with his fork and rolling it around the gravy and lingonberry sauce. The meatball is still soft and juicy, the taste mingling with the creaminess from the gravy and the tart-sweet of lingonberry in his mouth. Quite frankly, it’s one of the most delicious things Zuko’s ever eaten, and he curses his misfortune at discovering the wonders of Ikea way too late. Good furniture, good house designing, _and_ good food? How could some place so perfect exist on Earth?

“How’s life going?” Katara asks him.

“Life is pretty good,” Zuko replies, putting his fork down on the table. He’s almost done with his tagging assignment, and he hopes Professor Bumi will realize how ingenious it is. “How about you?”

“Same old, same old.” Katara waves her hand. “Classes and clubs, mostly. And looking for internships, obviously. Apps are so painful.”

Zuko nods. He can’t agree more on that sentiment.

“So got any plans after graduation?” Katara continues. “I heard from Sokka that you’re staying around, right?”

“Yes, for graduate school.” Zuko winces as he remembers his father’s harsh words about his post-graduation decision. _You’ll never amount to anything if you stay in academia_. It’s not something he likes to think about, especially when there’s so much to do. He takes a sip from his own mug and grimaces.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing.” Zuko wrinkles his nose. “I just don’t particularly enjoy coffee.”

“But Sokka says you always make coffee for him in the morning.” Katara looks puzzled. “I just assumed you drank coffee, too.”

“No, I prefer tea over coffee,” Zuko replies, peering into the dark abyss inside his cup. In the four years he’s roomed with Sokka, he’s come to the realization that his best friend is not a morning person, by any means. (And with the erratic sleep schedule that comes with being an EECS major, who could blame him?) It just becomes a habit when Zuko begins preparing a pot of fresh coffee alongside his own kettle of _sencha_ tea each morning, watching as Sokka drags himself out from his room into the kitchen for a drink.

He sneaks a glance in Sokka’s direction. His best friend’s cheeks are comically stretched, head bobbing as he forces another meatball into his mouth, barely managing to eke out the garbled remains of “ _chdufky budfky_ ”. The entire thing is ridiculous, yet Zuko can’t help but feel a twinge in his chest.

Somewhere in between sophomore and junior year, Zuko had come to the conclusion that he couldn’t be best friends with Sokka forever because of his feelings. His stupid, ridiculous, hot-headed _Huo_ feelings that he keeps bottled up inside his chest. Zuko can’t risk Sokka knowing about how he actually feels, how he wants to cuddle up with Sokka on the couch and watch reruns of House Hunters and laugh at the absurd jobs that the couples always seem to have on the show, how he wouldn’t mind making coffee for him every single morning for the rest of his life—because he’s in love with his best friend.

And the thought twitches around Zuko’s chest and up in between his eyes. He remembers joking about his crush to Sokka once, the one time that the two of them snuck bottles of _umeshu_ into the dorms and onto the rooftop.

“I think I might have a crush on you,” Zuko’s voice had wavered, and it wasn’t the alcohol talking. (He needed that liquid courage to confess, after all.)

“You know what?” Sokka had declared loudly to the night sky.

“What?” Zuko had gripped his _umeshu_ so tightly in his palms, it left marks.

“I like you too, yanno.” Sokka had flung his arm around Zuko’s shoulder and pulled them together. “You might even say that I’m _homiesexual_ for you.”

Zuko had gone to bed that night with the stars in his eyes and a blush on his cheeks, only to wake up the next morning with a grinning Sokka acting like nothing had happened. It only got worse later on when Sokka started going out with a beautiful senior from his robotics class. Zuko had curled up in his room for one lonely night, eating pint after pint of Cherry Garcia to quell the ache in his chest and the thoughts in his head of what he’d lost. He had come out of the room the next morning, made a pot of coffee for Sokka and a kettle of _sencha_ for himself, and sat at the table like usual. And it’s honestly been that way ever since. Zuko’s tried to keep his distance—he really has—but Sokka manages to worm his way around Zuko’s every defense with bright smiles and playful winks. Zuko knows that he’s going to be dealing with the same thing next year, since the two of them are rooming together while Zuko works on his PhD and Sokka starts his job at one of Google’s many satellite campuses. Like a moth to a flame, Zuko just keeps going back.

_Why does he have to be so unfairly attractive and endearingly idiotic?_

“Who’s unfairly attractive and endearingly idiotic?”

Zuko jumps as Katara’s voice breaks through his thoughts. _Oh, Agni. Did I say that out loud?_

“I—I—I meant no one. No one in particular,” Zuko answers. He wants to fall through the floor and disappear forever.

Katara just grabs his hand and squeezes tightly.

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Rug, high pile  
 **ΤΕΡΨΙΧΌΡΗ  
** gray

➤ The muse of dance

➤ Most commonly associated with lyre, plectrum, laurel

➤ Durable, stain resistant and easy to care for since the rug is made of synthetic fibers.

➤ _that we are born_

**$29.99**

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“Raise your hand if you wanna come walk through the marketplace with me and Zuko.”

Zuko snorts when no one raises their hand.

“Aw, really?” Sokka almost looks disappointed.

Katara’s the first to console him. “Aang and I are going to go look at some lamps first.”

“And I’m taking Toph to the rug section because she wants to try them out.” Suki shrugs helplessly. “Sorry, boys. You’re on your own.”

“No, actually, this is perfect!” Sokka claps a hand on Zuko’s back. “I’m gonna look at kitchen stuff for the apartment with Zuko!”

“Then we’ll meet up with you guys at the bistro outside,” Katara nods before smiling at Zuko. “Enjoy your tour, Zuko!”

“My what?” Zuko asks, but everyone’s scattering in all directions. Before long, it’s just him and Sokka meandering along the shelves, pausing every so often to look at all of the different utensils and kitchen gadgets Ikea has to offer.

And there’s a lot. From kitchen knives to wooden spoons, Zuko feels like he’s walking through a budget Williams-Sonoma of sorts.

Sokka picks up a stack of plastic tumblers in a rainbow of colors. “ _Dude_.”

“No,” Zuko says, because he hasn’t planned on buying anything for this trip. All he wants to do is to make it out of Ikea in one piece and with his bank account intact.

“ _Please?_ ” Sokka’s eyes are pleading. “C’mon. I need some cool cups at home. Plus, they look super cool.”

“Okay,” Zuko relents. “But only because the cups actually look nice.”

Sokka lets out a small whoop and tosses the tumblers into their shopping cart.

And before he knows it, Zuko himself is eyeing the cookware sets. He’s always had a soft spot for sets of things, like the beautiful collection of stationery and pens Uncle Iroh gifted him for his high school graduation present. Personally, Zuko likes things that come in sets because they’re complete, a whole package that is easy to use.

Sokka raises an eyebrow when Zuko picks up a set of cookware. “Do we really need an eleven-piece set of pots and pans?”

“No? But it’s in a set,” Zuko shows him the tag.

“I’m not super bothered by stuff that doesn’t match,” Sokka shrugs.

“What about the tumblers you grabbed earlier?”

“Those are different ‘cuz I know we’re going to actually use them, like when everyone comes over for hotpot or something.” Sokka reads the tag. “Like, when are we ever gonna need two saucepans? You planning on getting lost in the sauce sometime soon?”

“No?” Zuko’s still reluctant to put the set of cookware back in its place. “But I think we do need new cookware.”

“Sure, but we could just buy some higher quality stuff somewhere else. Something durable,” Sokka pauses. “Something that can last for years, Zuko. Not this stuff.”

And Zuko’s heart just _ba-dump_ s that much quicker as he places the cooking set back on the shelf. _Don’t get your hopes up_ , he rebukes himself, but his heart continues to skip around.

Zuko walks along to the beat of his heart, all the way to the lighting section. Sokka makes a beeline towards Katara and Aang in the corner. They’re standing next to a huge floor lamp, Aang scrutinizing the price tag and Katara trying to push her brother off of her.

“Having fun?” Katara smiles at Zuko. “I think Aang and I have just found the perfect lamp for the living room.”

“Yeah, and hopefully it’s sturdy enough so Appa won’t knock it over again,” Aang shakes the lamp with one hand. “Can’t have him breaking every single thing in our home.”

“You can always drop Appa off at our place when you’re busy with stuff,” Sokka grins. “Just sayin’.”

“Does your apartment even allow pets?” Katara squints at her brother.

“Not sure, but I can always sneak him in.”

“There is no way in this world or the spirit realm that you’re going to get away with sneaking in a 255-pound Saint Bernard.”

“You never know until you try,” Sokka shrugs.

Katara doesn’t look convinced.

“Zuko,” Sokka calls out, and Zuko looks up from the string of fairy lights in his hands. They twinkle gently along his fingertips, the brightness melting into his glowing palms.

“Yes?”

“Can Appa come over to our home sometime?” Sokka asks, and Zuko thinks his mind is short-circuiting because _there’s no way_. There’s absolutely no way that Sokka’s talking about the apartment as _their home_.

“Will our landlord let him in?” Zuko’s voice almost falters.

“Who gives a fuck about what Pakku thinks?” Sokka says. “If you say yes, I’ll bring Appa over. Just imagine him running around our home.”

“I’d rather not,” Zuko counters, not because he’s still caught up on the whole “ _our home_ ” thing, but rather the fact that he doesn’t want to clean up after Appa’s messes or vacuum the very foundation out of their apartment just to get the dog hair out.

“Aw, man.” Sokka shakes his head. “Guess Appa’s not coming over any time soon.”

Katara rolls her eyes at her brother before turning back to the lamp. “Anyways, Aang and I are going to be here for a while. We’ll meet you out front like we said before, yeah?”

“Yeah, okay. C’mon, Zuko! Let’s go look at some carpets and things.”

 _I wish there was a magic carpet that would just whisk me out of here_ , Zuko thinks.

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Mirror, aluminum  
 **ΕΡΑΤΏ  
** white

➤ The muse of love poetry

➤ Most commonly associated with kithara, lyre, plectrum, rose

➤ Can be hung horizontally or vertically.

➤ _only to die_

**$129.00**

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

“Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life?” Sokka asks.

They’re standing in front of a gigantic mirror now, the biggest one that Ikea has to offer. Zuko honestly has no idea how they’ve ended up here besides the fact that Sokka had zoomed through the rugs and flooring before settling into the hall of mirrors.

“I’m an English major,” Zuko mutters under his breath before sneaking his last tag in place and taking a quick picture. “I’m pretty sure that existentialism is a prerequisite for all of my classes.”

“Is that _sarcasm_ I detect from the unflappable Zuko Huo?” Sokka waggles his eyebrows in amusement.

“Perhaps?” Zuko reaches out to touch the mirror. The glassy mirror feels cool against his fingertips. “But if you’re talking about existentialism, I haven’t contemplated it in a while. Life,” he hesitates, “life can be a lot to think about.”

“You can tell that to my high school English teacher.” Sokka snorts. “Don’t know why Macmu-Ling thought it was a great idea to teach existentialism to a group of _high school seniors_ , of all people.”

“Your high school teacher thought it was a good idea to teach existentialism? I feel like existentialism’s something that I only started to understand in my sophomore seminar on Nietzche.”

“I know, right? Yeah, teaching existentialism is bad enough, but teaching it to high schoolers? Like, I barely figured out the shit I wanted to do in college, and now you’re asking me all of these deep-set questions? It kinda fucked up my perspective on life and stuff.”

Zuko’s curious. “How so?”

“I mean, before she brought it all up, I thought I had my life planned out, yeah? Like, I was gonna major in chemical engineering and work in pharmaceuticals or something, especially ‘cuz our curriculum is pretty much laid out from the get-go. But then Macmu-Ling goes ahead and is like, ‘ _Mr. Qanik, have you ever thought about the meaning of life?_ ’—” here, Sokka twitches his fingers in air-quotes—“ and that really made me start to think about what I really wanted to do with my life and myself.”

“And do you think you’re doing what you want to do now?”

“Honestly?” Sokka turns to Zuko, doubt clouding his eyes. “I’m not sure. Like I thought EECS would be something that was hard and rewarding at the same time, but I don’t know. And that’s kinda scary, yanno?”

 _Sokka? Scared?_ Zuko can’t believe what he’s hearing. He’s seen his roommate prep and negotiate his way through complicated questions with barely any background knowledge, and he’s witnessed how Sokka seems to have a knack for acing huge projects, even while starting them just the night before. _Scared_ isn’t exactly the word Zuko would use to describe Sokka’s approach towards life. Reckless? Maybe. Chaotic? Perhaps. But scared? Definitely not.

“So what are you so scared about?” Zuko presses on.

Sokka twiddles his thumbs. “I don’t know. Like, I feel like I’m always second guessing myself about my interests and my career. Do I actually want to sit and code all day? Or is there something else that I’d actually be great at doing, but I just haven’t given myself the time or the energy to do it? It’s things like that, mostly. But it’s not a big deal, really.” He turns his gaze towards Zuko. “So what about you? You ever just think about what you want from life?”

If there’s one thing that Zuko’s guilty of, it’s spending too much time pondering how things could have gone different. He’s gone through sleepless nights worrying about pursuing graduate school or thinking about his future—and sometimes, he wonders if he’s made the right choice in defying his father and the legacy of the Huo family. But throughout it all, Sokka’s been right next to him, anchoring Zuko’s thoughts so he has a chance to figure things out. Even now, Zuko can’t imagine going through all of that without Sokka.

 _I want you in my life_ , Zuko almost says, but the words wither away on his lips.

“Sometimes? Though I don’t let it bother me too much,” he answers.

“Well, you’ve definitely got your shit together, that’s for sure.” Sokka scratches his head absentmindedly. “Me? I spend too much time thinking about stuff.”

“What kinds of stuff?”

“Well, love, mostly.”

“What about love?” _Oh, no_. Zuko can feel his heart start to thump erratically again.

“Like, do you believe in love?” Sokka asks. “Like, have you ever thought about how mirrors can reflect our true desires?”

Zuko practically keels over when Sokka unconsciously laces their fingers together. He tries his best to pretend he doesn’t notice the sparks jumping up his arm.

“What do you mean?” And he can barely keep his voice steady in the moment.

“Well, I mean, like, I kinda really—and by really, I mean _really_ —really wanna kiss— _damn!_ ”

Zuko pulls back, watching in satisfaction as Sokka jerks back, his face blooming rose-red from the small kiss left on his cheek. His heart is practically sprinting a million miles an hour now. “Gotcha.”

“Hey, no fair! You didn’t let me finish. Why do you always have to be the first one to do everything!”

“I’m not the first one to do everything,” Zuko replies, hoping his voice isn’t wobbling. “I’m just opportunistic.”

“Opportunistic?” Sokka’s eyes light up as his mouth curls back in a smirk. “We’ll see about that.”

 _Oh, it’s definitely on_.

As much as Zuko tries to push it down, his mouth seems to be stuck in a permanent smile on his face. He grins at Sokka when they enter the home decoration section, with Zuko heading straight for the shelves full of plants. He picks each one up with both hands, eyes shining as he runs his fingers across each stem, each leaf, each petal. Zuko’s loved plants his entire life, and he doesn’t hesitate to pick out a trio of tiny succulents and to place them in the cart.

Sokka retaliates by adding three ceramic cacti next to the succulents.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m almost _jealous_ of your plants,” he whispers into Zuko’s ear as they head into the self-serve section.

Zuko pointedly ignores the lightning dancing along his spine.

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Pendant lamp shade  
 **ΠΟΛΎΜΝΙΑ  
** white

➤ The muse of hymns

➤ Most commonly associated with lyre, veil, grape

➤ You can create a soft, cozy atmosphere in your home with a paper lamp that spreads diffused and decorative light.

➤ _oh, but lately_

**$12.99**

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Sometimes, Zuko wishes that he had actually majored in neuroscience or some health sciences—especially now. He wants to know how long this refractory period is, how long he’s going to continue feeling giddy about kissing Sokka in front of that huge mirror.

They’ve made it halfway through the self-serve section and Zuko hasn’t come down from his adrenaline high of kissing his… his best friend? his roommate? ~~his boyfriend?~~ ??? (The ??? is wholly necessary.) All of these thoughts swirl in his mind like a typhoon clambering for release.

They’re still holding hands, and Sokka’s made a point to lace their fingers together tightly. (Zuko prays that his palms aren’t clammy, aren’t sweaty because _wouldn’t that be a huge turn-off right now?_ )

And what about the kiss? Zuko’s wracking his brain over Sokka’s response. Sure, they’re holding hands, and sure, Sokka’s smiling like he’s just won the lottery, but there’s still something nibbling away at the edges of Zuko’s thoughts.

“What’re you thinking about?” Sokka continues pushing the cart. They’re nearing the cash registers now, and Zuko thinks he can see the top of Aang’s head peeking out from behind a booth in the Ikea bistro.

 _No, it can’t end like this_ , he tells himself. Zuko grabs onto the cart and pulls Sokka into a deserted aisle. It’s dark, with only the racks of ready-to-assemble furniture stacked alongside them. Zuko takes them all the way down the aisle to the end. The cart rolls to a stop.

“Zuko? What’s wrong?” and even in the dim light, Zuko can see just how worried Sokka looks.

“Um—” Zuko begins, and _fuck_ , Huos _never_ stutter, “—um, Ikea products.”

“What?”

“Ikea products.” Zuko repeats dumbly.

“What about Ikea products?”

 _Just go for it_. “Ikea products,” Zuko murmurs again as he looks anywhere else besides Sokka. “And I mean, like, furniture in general. And stuff like that. They’re consumables, meant to be used and then replaced. They aren’t meant to last. “But you, you—” and here, Zuko stutters a little. “You, I can’t replace. I mean, I can’t replace you.”

He finishes awkwardly. _You’re an English major, for Agni’s sake_. The silence that follows almost threatens to suffocate him.

Sokka tilts his head. “Are you… are you _proposing_ to me or something? I thought that we should, like, go on a date first.”

And just like that, the spell shatters. Zuko gulps down his disappointment and shoves his hands into his pockets. _What, in the good name of Agni, is happening?_

“Are you saying this wasn’t a date?” he asks, and _oh, no_ , his voice cracks a little at the end. Zuko’s heart is beating way too fast for his own good, and he knows he’s dangling on the edge of passing out.

Sokka reaches out to steady him. “No, no, _no_. Not like that. I meant like a real date.”

“A real date?” Zuko braces himself against Sokka’s grasp.

“Yes, a real date. Like I take you out to dinner and then we’ll take a walk around that turtleduck pond you love and then we’ll go to Yi Fan for bubble tea and afterwards we can just, y’know, go back to our home watch House Hunters or Good Eats or anything you want and make cookies and dance and—” the words are pouring out of Sokka like a waterfall, “—and I just want, like, like something just like this. With you. Just you. Every day. For the rest of my life.”

“Hold on.” Zuko’s absolutely floored. He’s certain his blush has reached the tips of his ears, blood rushing through his head and past the few brain cells he has left. “Hold on.”

“I’m holding on,” Sokka laughs quietly before brushing Zuko’s hair away from his face. He presses the tiniest of kisses against Zuko’s scar, sending sparks zipping through his skin.

“ _Oh_ ,” and Zuko lets out a heartbreaking sigh as he curls up against Sokka’s chest, twisting the hoodie drawstrings around his fingers and pressing a palm against Sokka’s heart.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Sokka growls before kissing Zuko gently on the forehead. “I hope you’re ready to deal with me forever.”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Table  
 **ΟΎΡΑΝΊΑ  
** white

➤ The muse of astronomy

➤ Most commonly associated with globe, compass, star

➤ With comfortable seating for 6 people, this spacious table is perfect for various-sized families.

➤ Also comes in: silver, blue

➤ _i've been counting my stars_

**$499**

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Sokka and Zuko show up in the bistro holding hands.

Katara laughs. Aang gawks. Suki smiles.

“ _What’s happening?_ ” Toph hisses at no one in particular.

“Zuko and Sokka are holding hands,” Suki says before returning to the remnants of her cinnamon roll.

“Oh.” Toph is oddly silent. Everyone turns their attention towards her.

“Huh?”

“It is time dilation,” Toph announces gravely, raising both hands in reverence. “Einstein predicted it. Minkowski graphed it. And you two proved it.”

“What?”

“What I’m trying to say is, I can’t believe you two spent _three years_ in Ikea to figure out that _you’re in love with each other_. That’s admirable.”

“But we were only gone for two hours!”

“Two hours?” Toph scoffs. “Try three years of the most sap-inducing, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking _pining_ I’ve ever experienced in my life.” She pretends to wipe a tear away from her eye. “Do you know how hard it was not to just lock you two up in a closet and throw away the key? Aang had to stop me twice, y’know.”

“Toph! That’s my brother you’re talking about!”

“Yes, but if they’d just figured it out quicker, then I wouldn’t have to sit through three years’ worth of goo-goo eyes.”

“How do you even know about goo-goo eyes if you can’t—”

“Don’t test my patience, sugar queen.”

“Oh—”

And as Katara and Toph descend into a furious argument, Suki rolls her eyes before pressing something into Zuko’s hand.

“Here’s two dollars, ya dum-dums. Go have some froyo on me.”

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

Bookcase  
 **ΚΑΛΛΙΌΠΗ  
** black-brown

➤ The muse of epic poetry

➤ Most commonly associated with lyre, stylus, writing tablet

➤ Open storage is just as much about reflecting who you are as organizing all your things. In this bookcase, you can display your favorite books and objects.

➤ _'cause i will spend my whole life loving you_

**$19.99**

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△

**Author's Note:**

> as always, kudos/comments will get you everywhere :D


End file.
